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Read. Follow. Verify.Kentucky House Bill 472 enacts Buy American requirements for public works and government contracts
Last action · January 30, 2026: to Economic Development & Workforce Investment (H)Sponsors: Patrick Flannery and 11 others
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What This Bill Proposed
Beginning August 1, 2026, contracts for and maintenance on public buildings and public works by state agencies, local governments, and school districts must require iron, steel, and aluminum primary components to be manufactured in the United States. The measure establishes waiver procedures, debarment penalties for intentional mislabeling of foreign materials, and integrates compliance checks across existing procurement statutes.
- The Kentucky General Assembly regularly considers public contracting and procurement reforms affecting state and local infrastructure projects. context
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Contractors and Subcontractors
Contractors and subcontractors bidding on public works must source domestic iron, steel, and aluminum for foundation construction and disclose past statutory violations.
Governmental Bodies and School Districts
State agencies, cities, counties, special districts, and school districts must incorporate domestic sourcing provisions into public contracts and administer waiver requests.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Under what conditions can a governmental body issue a waiver for the domestic material requirements?
What is the penalty for intentionally mislabeling foreign steel or aluminum as domestic?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in House committee.
Procedural history
2 actions- Jan 30, 2026HouseCommitteeto Economic Development & Workforce Investment (H)
- Jan 22, 2026HouseIntroducedintroduced in House to Committee on Committees (H)
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Show 7 more sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Uniform Domestic Sourcing Mandate Across All Levels of Government
The bill bridges multiple chapters of the Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS Chapters 45A, 56, 65, etc.) to apply uniform 'Buy American' requirements to state agencies, local governments, school districts, and universities simultaneously.
Connected Entities
Sources
apps.legislature.ky.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 75)
- Controversy45Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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